Better Together
by Ashrel Fury
Summary: When every has fallen apart and I don't know what to do, you are the reason why I wake up each morning. As long as we have each other, we will be okay, no one else matters. We're just better together.


**Better Together**

Warm sunshine found its way through the slightly closed curtains into one famous detective's eyes. It remained there for a few long minutes before the disoriented mind of the young detective told him that if he didn't move the light wouldn't go away, and Shinichi wanted desperately to hold onto the clouds of sleep. So he did the only thing he could think of in mid-sleep. He turned his body around and buried his face in heated, soft flesh.

God this was heaven. Rarely did he get the luxury to sleep in anymore. He'd started working for the Edoka police department just a month ago and they were still putting him through 'tests'; or 'initiation' as the other officers called it.

What he called it was 'torture'.

For the past week they had him running around the city doing petty deduction work just to amuse themselves. He felt like an idiot in those moments for wasting his time with brainless people like the police department, but he also knew that this is where everyone else started, so why not him? Just because he was a famous world wide detective doesn't mean he _expected _special treatment. He was kind of glad that they hadn't given him any serious cases just yet, he wasn't sure he was in his right mind to catch a murderer at his current state. Not after what happened a year ago.

"Good morning, Shin-chan." The groggy voice from above Shinichi's head muttered as if out of instinct, it made a lazy smile fade straight into Shinichi's face even as he kept his eyes closed.

"Morning, Kai." He spoke almost as sleepily as the other, but he felt a slight shift of triumph as he noticed his voice hadn't cracked. He knew Kaito caught on to his thought as the arm already around his waist tightened its grip on him, bringing him more firmly against the other's naked body. Shinichi spared a thought to wonder when the arm had been slung around him, but decided it didn't matter. It felt good to be like this with his thief. They'd been deprived of this for too long in his opinion. Simple luxuries and all that.

"You don't have any cases this morning do you?" Kaito's voice came again, clearer this time, telling Shinichi that his partner was waking himself up fully to win the little 'contest' they had nearly every morning they get the chance to awaken together. He couldn't help chuckling in his throat.

"No. I'm free for today. So stay here with me a little longer." It wasn't a demand, but it wasn't a question either, it was more of one of his deductions. Shinichi knew Kaito only worked nights since he was an _actual _magician now, only his job was the_ hobby_. His actual job was still the same as from his high school years. Kaitou KID never dies after all and Kaito can't remove that part of himself even if he wanted to. And if he was perfectly truthful, Shinichi wouldn't ever think of asking Kaito to stop being who he is. KID was important to him too. KID's heists were a way to use his brain in a game of wits and not catch a murderer, that if let free, would kill again.

Kaito's "No one get's hurt" policy was always firmly reinforced, especially now with Snake behind bars and the night sky completely open for his 'show'. Shinichi enjoyed those too if he was truthful. He never really got any time off to go and watch Magical Kaito's shows, something that disappointed Kaito and on some level, Shinichi too.

"No arguments here Tantei-kun." Shinichi could almost _hear _the grin on the magician's face. Look's like Kaito managed to wake himself up first. Whatever, Shinichi didn't mind loosing this time if it meant he'd get to be lazy as Kaito pampered him. He knew the magical thief would enjoy it almost as much as he would.

They stayed just like that, the sun warming Shinichi's back while Kaito warmed his front, the arm that wasn't around his waist came to stroke at the detective's back gently, almost as if lulling him back to sleep. Normally, the magician _wouldn't_ be able to stay still for more than a few minutes, but that was only if he wasn't anywhere near his lover. Shinichi was the only thing in the world that could keep his attention for more than a few minutes, other than planning for heists, and the actual act of course. The detective had captured the thief's heart so completely that it was impossible to see anything other than him when they were together. He hasn't actually told his Tantei-kun that yet though. Wouldn't do for one of his detective's to know his little secrets just yet.

"Hey, Shin-chan, want me to go make something for you to eat?" Kaito breathed the question into his lover's ear as the other buried his head deeper into the magician's chest. "I don't have a show or any heists planned tonight, so I'm all yours, think you can ditch the police force for the duration of the evening?"

A nod against his chest was Kaito's answer and he grinned widely before forcing the younger teen away gently, then placing a warm, tender kiss against a pale cheek and slipping out of bed.

Padding around the bed to the closet, naked in all his glory, Kaito didn't bother with underwear as he slipped a pair of Shinichi's sleeping pants on before walking out the door with a last look at his lover who was now in the middle of their queen sized bed, snuggling against the pillow Kaito had been using, probably trying to keep Kaito's scent near him for as long as he can. The grin on Kaito's face softened into a sweet smile before he walked out the door completely.

The rest of the house was still dark as all the curtains were drawn closed and no electronics were currently on, but the thief effortlessly managed to find his way to the living room window with the soul purpose of shinning light on the dreary house.

They were currently living in the house Shinichi had inherited from his parents when he turned eighteen a few years back. Still living next to Dr. Agasa and Ai, though the young child was now 13 years old and beautiful for a young lady, and doctor himself was much less destructive, or so Shinichi had told Kaito when he first moved in during the beginning of their relationship. There were no longer the _random_ explosions, no, now there were _planned_ explosions. Ever single time these days, Agasa would call five minutes before something blow up. Looks like the doctor couldn't change, but he _could_ learn.

With soft steps that made slight noise in the silence, Kaito got the kitchen and started looking though the contents of the cabinets and refrigerator. He was glad to find that they had just enough ingredients for pancakes, some eggs and bacon.

The pale adult went about making breakfast, working quickly and making his signature 'Kuroba coffee' while he was at it. Shinichi absolutely loved the coffee Kaito made, but it was normally only made at random times when the detective didn't expect it. Today was one such day.

It took only a few minutes to have everything ready and set on a tray easily carried up the stairs. This sort of thing, making breakfast for the other, or even pampering the other, it was sort of an unspoken agreement the two men had since they got together. And neither ever really minded. It took them a long time to get to where they are, and neither of them was really very comfortable when it came to maintaining a routine. It reminded them too much of when they were young, and of all the things they'd lost.

About a year ago, when they were just deciding the routes of their lives out of college, they ran into problems. Dangerous, murderous problems that hunted them down.

A killer with a brain and a desire to challenge both the great Kaitou KID and Shinichi Kudo.

It took five full months for it to finally end, but by then, people who they both loved had been taken away from them.

Ran had died seven months ago. Aoko was put in a coma and still hasn't awoken (no one expects she ever will, but they hope), and Inspector Nakamouri died of a heart attack when his daughter was kidnapped by a lunatic murderer. Heiji had been dragged into it too, he was the one who found Ran's body, while Hakuba was there for Nakamouri's heart attack.

Their closest friends were either dead, or not speaking to them, and neither had been okay back then. It took a fair amount of therapy and each other, for Kaito and Shinichi to move on. Yet, they still haven't.

That reminded Kaito of something. In a few days would be the anniversary of Ran's death. He'd have to take Shinichi to the cemetery.

Momentarily, Kaito allowed himself to feel the sadness and pain he'd experienced back then, but soon enough, with the thought of Shinichi and breakfast, he pushed those away and began gathering the things he'd made into a tray he could carry up the stairs and surprise his detective.

"Smells good." Shinichi smiled as Kaito walked in. Propped against the headboard of the bed and rubbing his eyes, Shinichi looked beautiful in the light of the morning. Kaito told him so.

"Yeah. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and Kaito Coffee. You look really beautiful like that Shin-chan." Kaito grinned as he walked into the room, setting the tray on Shinichi's lap. He knew by the light in Shinichi's eyes that the only part the detective had caught of the sentence was 'Kaito Coffee'. Everything else went unheard.

His deduction was soon proven correct as Shinichi sniffed deeply and sighed.

"I'd start cheering but I'm not a child anymore." He said before grabbing for the mug. Kaito took it instead and held it out of the detective's reach. Shinichi's eyes went wide and his face twisted up in annoyance for a brief moment before he relaxed again and sighed.

Kaito just waited patiently.

"Sorry. I forgot." Shinichi muttered under his breath as he stretched his upper body a little, keeping the tray on his lap while he twisted to meet Kaito's eyes. "Thank you." He breathed as he leaned up to meet Kaito's lips with his own. The kiss was chaste and slow but it brightened both their moods.

When Shinichi pulled away and held his hand out for the mug of coffee, Kaito actually laughed at the picture Shinichi made before he allowed the man to take what was rightfully his.

"You know, you still haven't told me what you put in this." Shinichi commented as he took small sips of the hot black liquid. It was sweet and strong, but it had an edge to it that Shinichi had never tasted in coffee before. An extra 'kick' if you will.

"And I'm never going to." Kaito countered stealing a piece of bacon from Shinichi's plate.

Shinichi just smiled as he set the mug down on the bedside table next to him.

"I don't understand why, it's not like I'm only with you for your coffee." Shinichi joked as he grabbed a fork and started to pick apart the pancakes. They were chocolate chip, so they didn't need syrup, or so Kaito always said.

"Yeah, you're with me for my hands." Kaito smirked as he sat on the edge of Shinichi's side of the bed. He twisted to torso so that he was facing the detective. "And my tongue." He flicked the muscle out like a snake, hissing lightly as he did so. It made Shinichi laugh around the mouthful of food.

"Maybe not exactly for those things, but they do make staying here bearable." The detective retorted flashing a smirk of his own.

Kaito grinned back, leaning forward to steal a kiss again. This one wasn't as innocent as the first and it only deepened when Shinichi dropped the fork in favor of grabbing the back of Kaito's head so that he could pull the thief closer. It wasn't only one kiss anymore, it was multiple kisses. Shinichi would bite at Kaito's lips and Kaito would smirk into the kiss and suck on Shinichi's tongue anytime the muscle dared to invade his mouth.

They pulled back a while later, grinning widely at each other.

The moment was broken when the phone beside the bed started ringing.

Kaito's eyes rounded to the phone, noticing it was his before he reached to answer it.

"Hello?" he called into the receiver as he watched Shinichi go back to his pancakes and scrambled eggs.

_"Kuroba?"_ The voice on the other end spoke up. It was familiar and friendly so Kaito let the suspicion in his chest die down a little.

"Hello Ai! How are you?" He answered cheerfully, not really sure why the 13 year old girl would be calling him but not exactly disliking the attempt at contact. Though they were next door neighbors the girl didn't usually communicate with them, and if she did, It was usually with Shinichi.

_"I'm fine, but I'm afraid you won't be." _Her familiar voice took a sudden edge now, kind of like a knife being sharpened on stone, preparing to deliver a killing blow. The dread he'd first felt at answering the phone now returned full force.

"Why, what's up?" How he kept his voice even and cheerful was a mystery even to him. His eyes rose up to meet Shinichi's who had been staring at him since he'd heard that the person his boyfriend was speaking with was the female genius who helped him get his body back a very long time ago. Shinichi himself was curious, but he noticed Kaito's sudden change in masks and switched his own accordingly. He was now in full worried mood, prepared for anything Kaito would tell him when he got off the phone.

_"Hakuba decided to pull the plug on Nakamori today. He wants you and Kudo there."_ The damned girl didn't even wait for another word to be spoken before she hung up, cutting off not only the conversation but the circulation to Kaito's brain.

His mind was blank and he was pretty sure he wasn't thinking anymore.

It was only when a strong pair of arms came to wrap around him that Kaito noticed that he'd frozen up, the cellphone still pressed to his ear listening to the dial tone.

Shinichi didn't say a word as he continued to hold Kaito, baring the silence and the curiosity. He still didn't know what made Kaito just freeze like that, but it must have been big. No one was in danger, Shinichi knew that from Kaito's reaction, but the news must be pretty big for Kaito to completely freeze up. The only thing that Shinichi could come up with would be Aoko. It's been seven months and the hospital was pushing for Hakuba to pull the plug on her life support, he was the one trusted to do it since Aoko had wrote as much in her will. Still, if it was that, Shinichi knew how he'd handle Kaito.

Kaito would close himself off if this was the case. He would put on more masks than ever and hide, even from Shinichi, so the detective was well aware of what to do if it came to it.

"Aoko..." Kaito mumbled.

Bingo. Shinichi had been right.

"We'll go together." Shinichi mumbled as he started pulling the motionless Kaito back.

"Yeah." Kaito sighed as he allowed himself to be dragged. "We always do better together."

Shinichi smiled sadly. "We've come this far, and we'll go all the way."

"Together?"

"Together."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, I wanted this to be short and sweet, putting a stress on how Kaito and Shinichi always do better facing things together than on their own. I just liked that idea so I used it. I'm sorry I killed off nearly everyone, but be happy Kaito and Shinichi are still alive! Ai is mean, lets face it, she's suffering too! okay. Enjoy and Comment. More KaiShin coming up soon.**


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